Jesse Laflamme grew up on the same New Hampshire farm his great-grandfather worked in 1900. He learned to raise chickens by working on the farm. His favorite pet was a brown hen named Nellie that rode around the farm in his bicycle basket. As he grew up, Jesse developed an appreciation for farming that has stayed with him.

“I grew up with pet chickens,” Jesse recalls. “They’re one of the funniest creatures on earth. I knew I wanted to run a humane farm with organic produce.”

Jesse returned after graduating from Bates College and is now the Pete & Gerry's egg farm’s Operations Manager. He does everything from dealing with supermarket buyers to working out in the barns. Like most farmers, you’re as likely to find him repairing a watering system as you are to find him at his desk.

Jesse is committed to conservation, organic foods, humane treatment of animals and small-scale farming. Running a growing business without sacrificing these values is a constant struggle, but it’s one that he relishes. He’s always looking for more environmentally-friendly packaging, more energy-conscious ways to ship his eggs, and better ways to care for his livestock and deal with the waste it produces.

“This is a growing farm. We’re aware of our environmental impact, and we want to minimize it,” he explains. “Our goal is to become a zero waste facility. We plan to compost our waste and maybe even use it to grow feed for our hens. We want to close the circle.”

In the last ten years, this family farm in New Hampshire’s White Mountains has grown and prospered to the point that it can barely keep up with the demand for its 100% organic, cage-free eggs. Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs has become a family farming phenomenon.

To solve his supply problem without resorting to factory farming techniques, Jesse is recruiting other small family farms to join him as suppliers. To date, he has added three other New England family farms and is actively looking for more.

The Rolfe Family Farm in Belmont, New Hampshire and Thornton Brother’s Farm in Bryant Pond, Maine both raise chicks to laying-age hens for Pete and Gerry’s. The Vose Family Farm in Walpole, New Hampshire produces organic eggs for them. All three are true family-owned and operated farms.

“We’ve found some great farmers,” Jesse states with pride. “They’re hard-working people who believe in family farming.”

The Rolfe Family Farm

Dave Rolfe has lived on farms all of his life. He and his wife, Kelly, bought their Belmont, New Hampshire farm in 1999 from a farmer who had worked it for 40 years. Dave and Kelly have five sons and one daughter. The two youngest boys, Mac and Tyler, help their parents work the farm.

Dave started raising chickens for another farm, but he wanted to change to organic farming. He was concerned about exposing his family to chemicals and antibiotics. Now he raises organic chicks to laying age for Pete and Gerry’s.He averages about 40,000 birds and likes the size of his operation. Dave says it fits his lifestyle.

“Maintenance and upkeep are constant, and you have to stay on top of today’s standards. It’s hard work; but I spend a lot of time with my family, and they learn where their food comes from.”

Dave is keen on humane treatment of animals and a natural promoter of good organic foods. He loves to educate people about farming and organics.“I feel like I have a purpose in organic farming,” he continues. “It gives me a great sense of accomplishment to be part of the food cycle.”

The Vose Family Farm

Ernie Vose grew up on a family farm in Peterborough, New Hampshire. From the 8th grade on, his chores included taking care of the family’s 3000 chickens. His family wholesaled eggs and frozen broilers as well as selling them at the farm. After studying animal husbandry at UNH, Ernie began raising heavy breeders for Hubbard Farms. In 1977, he and his wife, Susan, bought a poultry farm in Walpole, New Hampshire. After 28 years of raising hatching eggs and doing research work for Hubbard, Ernie decided to produce organic table eggs for Pete and Gerry’s.

“It was a big change,” he explains, “I had to switch to open pens. They showed me what equipment to buy and how to set up a nest system and conveyors. Then their crew helped me set it all up.”

Ernie has about 14,000 birds. A retired farmer helps him part-time during the week and his son helps out on weekends.

“The feed is automated and the eggs are automatically conveyed to the packing room where they’re put on 30-egg flats in cartons and then onto pallets.”“I like contract farming because there’s no risk,” Ernie explains. “Pete and Gerry’s supplies the birds and the feed, and I take care of them. Then they pick up the eggs and market them, which I’m not interested in doing.”

“Family farms can’t compete with big farms, but there is a niche market for farmers who want to produce good, local food. People nowadays are concerned with how animals are raised.”

The Thorton Brother’s Farm

Charlie and Cher Thorton know a thing or two about chickens. The two brothers have been raising them since 1960 on a 240-acre farm near the Androscoggin River in Bryant Pond, Maine. The farm has been in their family since 1927.The Thorntons started raising hens to laying age for Pete and Gerry’s in 2001.

They average about 28,000 birds with the help of their hired man, Steve Palmer.“We raised chickens for other farms, but they all moved on or went out of business,” Charlie explains. “Now we have organic hens for Pete and Gerry’s.”

“The change to organic was not too hard. We opened things up and found a used feeder in Belfast that delivers the feed to individual pans. The hens run loose on the floor and can go outside to range.”

“Working with Pete and Gerry’s gives us income that helps keep the farm going,” Cher adds. “Small farming is dwindling, but we still enjoy it.”

Why are family farms important?

The preservation of family farms is important formany reasons. In addition to providing safenutritious foods, family farms serve as responsiblestewards of the land. They live on their farmsand preserve the surrounding environmentfor future generations. Because they havea vested interest in their communities, theyare more likely to use sustainable farmingtechniques to protect natural resourcesand human health.

Family farms also play a vital role in rural economies. They provide jobs to local people and help support local businesses. And they preserve an essential connection between consumers, food and the land.

Jesse Laflamme is passionate about family farms. “They are a valuable resource in maintaining a diverse, safe, food supply,” he exclaims. “If they can adopt new management and production systems that capitalize on their hard work and ingenuity, there are real opportunities for small farmers to serve growing niche markets for high-quality organically grown foods.”

“We can provide information on how to convert to organic and get the necessary certification. And we can give family farms a stable market for their eggs.”

If you’re an experienced poultry farmer who is interested in working withPete and Gerry’s to farm organic eggs, contact Jesse at 603-638-2827. Visit Pete & Gerry's Web site at www.peteandgerrys.com